Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) description
The long-awaited, eagerly anticipated, arguably over-hyped Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has arrived, and the question on the minds of kids, adults, fans, and skeptics alike is, "Is it worth the hype?" The answer, luckily, is simple: yep. A magnificent spectacle more than worth the price of admission, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will blow you away. However, given that so much has gone into protecting the secrets of the book (including armored trucks and injunctions), don't expect any spoilers in this review. It's much more fun not knowing what's coming--and in the case of Rowling's delicious sixth book, you don't want to know. Just sit tight, despite the earth-shattering revelations that will have your head in your hands as you hope the words will rearrange themselves into a different story. But take one warning to heart: do not open Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince until you have first found a secluded spot, safe from curious eyes, where you can tuck in for a good long read. Because once you start, you won't stop until you reach the very last page. A darker book than any in the series thus far with a level of sophistication belying its genre, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince moves the series into murkier waters and marks the arrival of Rowling onto the adult literary scene. While she has long been praised for her cleverness and wit, the strength of Book 6 lies in her subtle development of key characters, as well as her carefully nuanced depiction of a community at war. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, no one and nothing is safe, including preconceived notions of good and evil and of right and wrong. With each book in her increasingly remarkable series, fans have nervously watched J.K. Rowling raise the stakes; gone are the simple delights of butterbeer and enchanted candy, and days when the worst ailment could be cured by a bite of chocolate. A series that began as a colorful lark full of magic and discovery has become a dark and deadly war zone. But this should not come as a shock to loyal readers. Rowling readied fans with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by killing off popular characters and engaging the young students in battle. Still, there is an unexpected bleakness from the start of Book 6 that casts a mean shadow over Quidditch games, silly flirtations, and mountains of homework. Ready or not, the tremendous ending of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will leave stunned fans wondering what great and terrible events await in Book 7 if this sinister darkness is meant to light the way. --Daphne Durham Waiting for Book 7?
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Begin at the Beginning
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Hardcover
Paperback | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Hardcover
Paperback | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Hardcover
Paperback | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Hardcover
Paperback | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Hardcover
Paperback |
Why We Love Harry
Favorite Moments from the Series
There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
| | * Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him.
* When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists.
* Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards.
* Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat. | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
| | * The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius.
* Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother.
* The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms. | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
| | * Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'.
* Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children.
* The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape. | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
| | * Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them.
* Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it.
* Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge.
* Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses. | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
| * Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming.
* Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone.
* Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager.
* Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape.
* Dumbledore's confession to Harry. | Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling
 "I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I’m sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." --J.K. Rowling Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling.
Did You Know? A Few Words from Mary GrandPré
 "When I illustrate a cover or a book, I draw upon what the author tells me; that's how I see my responsibility as an illustrator. J.K. Rowling is very descriptive in her writing--she gives an illustrator a lot to work with. Each story is packed full of rich visual descriptions of the atmosphere, the mood, the setting, and all the different creatures and people. She makes it easy for me. The images just develop as I sketch and retrace until it feels right and matches her vision." Check out more Harry Potter art from illustrator Mary GrandPré.
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) Customer Reviews
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Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince: literary and moral value
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WARNING: spoilers are in this review
J. K. Rowling has written another fantastic Harry Potter book, the sixth in a series of seven called, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Far from a disappointment, this book keeps the story of Harry potter alive and more than fascinating. There is plenty of mystery, excitement, and adventure. The Half Blood Prince is a compelling page turner that keeps you literally on the edge of your seat. However, more importantly the Half Blood Prince offers great literary and moral value for readers of all ages.
Literary value may be found in the Half Blood Prince in many forms. The Half Blood Prince offers an excellent, well-written storyline or plot that fits with the other five books nicely, yet is able to stand on its own and be enjoyed even if you haven't read the other books in the series. If you have read the other books, you are more likely to fully appreciate its worth and the difficulty of such a feat. Rowling successfully creates and sustains suspense throughout the novel. This is accomplished early on when we learn the Malfoy was given a task by Voldemort and that Snape has taken an Unbreakable Vow to protect Malfoy and finish his task if he should fail. The suspense about the task is sustained in a natural, unforced manner throughout the story by Harry's obsession with discovering the nature of Malfoy's task. Other examples of suspense are found throughout the story--who is the Half Blood Prince whose potions book helps Harry so much, what is the reason for Harry and Dumbledore's private lessons, and whose love for whom will be realized. By the end of the book, Rowling answers these questions, ties up the loose ends, and yet leaves us with anticipation and questions for the next book. The various, well-developed characters in the series continue to make appearances and unique contributions to the story. As you read Half Blood Prince, you become even more invested in the characters you have come to love and hate--the Weasleys, Hagrid, Dumbledore, Harry, Hermione, Neville, Luna, the members of the Order of the Phoenix, Snape, Malfoy and even Voldemort. The story continues to be touching, inspiring, and heartbreaking. The characters flourish among tragedy and still live their lives--falling in love, growing, learning, deepening friendships, and battling evil.
How could anyone mistake this book as espousing or encouraging anything other than the highest morality and the most valuable morals? Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince continues to be, as were the other books in the series, a good source of moral value for people of every age. The book deals with a number of moral issues in a variety of ways and encourages morality and goodness, which we can all learn from. The issues addressed include friendship, family, love, loyalty, sacrifice, good versus evil and the gray areas in between, how to cope with the death of loved ones, murder, and the soul. The issues of friendship, family, love, loyalty and sacrifice are intertwined throughout the book. Harry displays the utmost loyalty to Dumbledore, saying more than once that he is "Dumbledore's man through and through." The Weasleys, the best example of family values, show loyalty and love for each other, including Harry when they take him in as family and fight for him. True friendship and its moral value are shown in many forms by Harry, Dumbledore, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna. On numerous occasions, they show us what friendship means--loyalty, support, love, and sacrifice. They bicker and disagree sometimes (Ron and Hermione doubt Harry when he believes Malfoy is a Death-Eater, Dumbledore and Harry disagree in their opinion and trust of Snape), however, in the end they are there for one another. For instance, Ron, Hermione, Luna and Neville, help Harry watch Malfoy and Snape toward the end of the book and they fight with the Order of the Phoenix against the Death-eaters. In the end, Dumbledore protects Harry and sacrifices himself in helping fight Voldemort and destroying Horcruxes.
One of the most important issues dealt with is sacrifice. Harry makes many sacrifices, shows courage, and strong moral standards, as do other characters. Harry is given options to choose easy ways out, but doesn't take them because he knows it is not the right decision. He could live a normal life and leave the fight against Voldemort to other more experienced witches and wizards, but he does not--Harry knows his duty and does not shrink from it. Harry could simply give up and stop fighting, but he does not. Harry sacrifices his happiness time and again. He knows he cannot be with Ginny though he loves her. Harry lets Ginny go because it's the only way to protect her and he knows he cannot be with her until he finishes with Voldemort. Harry and others like Dumbledore, Sirius, his friends, and the Weasleys, do the right thing no matter what the cost. For example, Harry refuses to support the Ministry by becoming their "mascot" since they wrongfully imprison innocent wizards to mislead the public into believing that they are making progress against Voldemort. Dumbledore and Sirius sacrificed their lives for the cause of fighting and defeating evil in the form of Voldemort. The Weasleys sacrifice their blood and energy to help protect Harry and do their part in fighting evil. Harry and his friends sacrifice to help and support each other.
Throughout the book, we see Harry trying to cope with Sirius's death and then Dumbledore's death. Harry reacts as any person would with anger, denial, sadness, heartbrokenness, and acceptance. He manages to cope with difficulty, but also with surprising dignity, devotion, and love in the end.
Rowling cleverly shows us the utter wrongness and horribleness of murder. In the book, murder rips your soul apart and permits you to split your soul into pieces that may then reside in Horcruxes, making you immortal. Voldemort has taken it to an extreme, mutilating his soul, and dividing it into seven pieces through six murders. Voldemort represents the utmost evil in the book, an evil that must be destroyed.
This story shows us the importance of fighting for everything good in the world and battling everything evil. However, Rowling does not delude us and makes it clear that the line between good and evil is not so clearly drawn--there are gray areas just as there are in real life. There are Imperius Curses that are used against Rosmerta and others, blackmail which is used against Malfoy by Voldemort, and even the uncertainty of whether Snape is good or evil.
This story, these characters, and these issues are so realistic, moving, and touching that it is amazing how anyone could miss the literary and moral value found throughout the book and the series. The characters, plotline, well created suspense, and the fact it is amazingly written contribute to the literary value of the Half Blood Prince. While condemning murder and evil, the story shows us the moral values of family, friendship, love, loyalty, and sacrifice through the powerful characters, the situations they face, and the decisions they make. For all these reasons and possibly many more, it was one of the best books I have ever read and I would recommend this book to any and everyone. |
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) Books In Print, Audio Books.
